For those who are just getting into espresso, facing a whole bunch of coffee terminology can feel totally bewildering—things like Espresso, Ristretto, Lungo, Latte, Flat White, and so on. In this installment of Barista Training Diary, let's talk about what exactly a Long Black is.

Long Black literally translates to "long black," and in China it's also called "Aussie Black" (Australian-style black coffee). As the name suggests, the Long Black comes from Australia and is very popular in Australia and New Zealand. Since it's called Australian-style black coffee, it naturally has to be distinguished from the Americano.

The Long Black is very simple in composition—it's made of Espresso and water. So what's the difference between it and the Americano, which is also made of Espresso and water? Many people simply assume that an Americano is made by pouring water into the espresso (pour the espresso first, then the water), while a Long Black is made by pouring espresso into the water (pour the water first, then the espresso). The difference between the two is just the order of the "ingredients." But is it really that simple?

Both are black coffees—which countries do the Americano andLong Blackthe Long Black come from, respectively?

First of all, the Americano originated after World War II, when American soldiers stationed in Europe couldn't get used to the extremely strong Espresso, so they poured warm water into their coffee to dilute it. That's where the idea comes from that an Americano is made by pouring coffee first and then water. Even today, there isn't much fuss about the order when making an Americano—the only real difference is whether the crema is preserved or broken up. So if it's not about the order, what is the real difference between them?

The Long Black comes from Australia. Australians prefer a richer, stronger coffee, and the Americano just doesn't satisfy their needs. In Australia, Espresso is also called a Short Black, so a Long Black is essentially a slightly diluted espresso—it reduces the concentration while still maintaining the richness of the crema. A Long Black is served in a smaller cup than an Americano, around 150ml, and is made by pouring water first and then the espresso, which preserves the crema. Since it uses less water for dilution than an Americano, the taste and richness are a notch above.
   

How to make an "Aussie Black"?

1. First, make 2 shots of espresso. The coffee beans used here are Front Street Coffee's Sunflower Warm Sun blend. Here are the details:

The extraction recipe used is 20g of grounds extracting 40g of coffee liquid.

2. Then prepare a glass or ceramic cup, pour 120ml of hot water (70–80°C) into the cup, and then pour in 40ml of espresso. The crema will float on the surface—very beautiful and soothing.

When Front Street tastes the Aussie Black made this way, you can feel a rich and intense coffee aroma, with the dense creaminess of the crema alongside a solid bittersweet flavor. As the temperature drops, you can also sense the rich layers of flavor the beans have to offer.

By contrast, an Americano uses a larger amount of water to soften the bitterness of the espresso. Take Front Street for example: the cup size for an Americano is 250ml, with the ratio of espresso to water controlled at 1:5—that is, 40ml of Espresso + 200ml of hot water. What's more, since people found that adding water afterward directly breaks up the crema, making it far less visually appealing than a hot coffee with golden foam floating on top, that's why when making an Americano, the detail of adding water first and then pouring in the coffee is emphasized.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.